Fixation, Sandra Goldmark
Fixation, Sandra Goldmark
List: $19.99 | Sale: $13.99
Club: $9.99

Fixation
How to Have Stuff without Breaking the Planet

Author: Sandra Goldmark

Narrator: Eva Wilhelm

Unabridged: 5 hr 58 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 05/11/2021


Synopsis

Our massive, global system of consumption is broken. Our individual relationship with our stuff is broken. In each of our homes, some stuff is broken. And the strain of rampant consumerism and manufacturing is breaking our planet. We need big, systemic changes, from public policy to global economic systems.

Since founding Fixup, a pop-up repair shop that brought her coverage in the New York Times, Salon, New York Public Radio, and more, Sandra Goldmark has become a leader in the movement to demand better "stuff." She doesn't just want to help us clear clutter—she aims to move us away from throwaway culture, to teach us to reuse and repurpose more thoughtfully, and to urge companies to produce better stuff. Although her goal is ambitious, the solution to getting there is surprisingly simple and involves all of us: have good stuff, not too much, mostly reclaimed, care for it, and pass it on.

Fixation charts the path to the next frontier in the health, wellness, and environmental movements—learning how to value stewardship over waste. We can choose quality items designed for a long lifecycle, commit to repairing them when they break, and shift our perspective on reuse and "preowned" goods. Goldmark shares examples of forward-thinking companies that are thriving by conducting their businesses sustainably and responsibly.

About Sandra Goldmark

Entrepreneur Sandra Goldmark is the founder of Fixup (formerly Pop Up Repair), an innovative social enterprise in New York City. She is also a theater set/costume designer, a leader in the field of sustainable theatrical design, and director of the Sustainability and Environment Program and associate professor of professional practice at Barnard College. She has an AB in American literature from Harvard College and an MFA in theatrical design from Yale University.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Mikala

This read was incredibly impactful. The biggest thing that has stuck with me since reading this is the notes on donating to second hand stores. The author really hit home how donating alone doesn't "close the loop" unless you are also buying second hand. Also the fact that a lot of the things we don......more

Goodreads review by Marc

This is a wonderful read and it inspires you to move away from our throwaway culture. Sandra adapts a simple motto from the food movement that has profound implications: Have good stuff, not too much (mostly reclaimed). Care for it. Pass it on. I had an in-depth conversation with Sandra on my podcas......more

I'm already someone who really wants to reduce my material waste and impact on the planet. But this book helped me deepen, change, and reflect on my relationship with my "stuff." The lessons that the author learned from fixing things are really relevant to everyone alive today. You should note thoug......more

Goodreads review by Caleb

A thoughtful and poignant narrative about an impressive woman who dares to rethink our societal relationship with "stuff."......more